A special exhibition “Shonen Oja (King of Boy)” by Soji Yamakawa x Keiichi Tanaami
2009.1.24 Sat - 2.22 Sun
art space TANYA (produced by NANZUKA UNDERGROUND)
Nanzuka Underground is pleased to present Shonen Oja (King of Boy), a special exhibition of works by Soji Yamakawa and Keiichi Tanaami, at art space TANYA. This exhibition features Soji Yamakawa’s original drawings and Keiichi Tanaami’s silkscreen works made by using Yamakawa’s original drawings, which were exhibited in a retrospective show of Soji Yamakawa held at Yayoi Museum in 2008, in commemoration of the 100 years since his birth.
At age 23 in 1931, Soji Yamakawa established a production company of “a picture-story show (which has a series of colored pictures depicting the content of the tales)” and published the first original picture-story “Shonen Oja (King of Boy)”. In the following year, 1932, he showed “Shonen Tiger (Tiger Boy)”, and it became incredibly popular. After enduring and making it through the war, Yamakawa again showed Shonen Oja (King of Boy) on the war-mangled streets of Japan. Released in book form in 1946, it became the first best selling book after the war and established a genre of its own. In 1951 Shonen Kenya (Boy in Kenya) was serialized in the national newspaper and Yamakawa soon left his mark in history by making his way to the top of a list of millionaires as an artist, overtaking Taikan Yokoyama (who was the highest authority on Japanese painting then) in 1954.
Many boys and girls were amazed when they encountered animals and supernatural beings in the unknown jungles drawn in the Yamakawa’s stories. Keiichi Tanaami was one of those enthusiastic young followers, as well.
Thinking back on those times and memories running after the picture-story show in his childhood, Tanaami talked about his encountering Yamakawa’s work as follows:
“A storyteller started a picture-story show “Shonen Oja (King of Boy)” as the gigantic sun was setting under the horizon. There were about 50 kids enjoying the show. I used to wait for a long time in long lines in order to see every show from the front row. Although the town had been destroyed and it was depressing, I got totally into the picture-story show as if I saw the whole world through it… Soji Yamakawa inspired me. I might not have worked in this field if I hadn’t encountered Shonen Oja (King of Boy) of the picture-story show and the book…” (excerpted from the article featured in “BRUTUS TRIP” (2008 July)
Shonen Oja (King of Boy) will be exhibited concurrently with a solo show KANNOOON by Keiichi Tanaami at Nanzuka Underground. We look forward to seeing you at the exhibition.
- Soji Yamakawa x Keiichi Tanaami [Shonen Oja (King of Boy)]
- Date : 2009.1.24 Sat - 2.22 Sun
- Place : art space TANYA (produced by NANZUKA UNDERGROUND) [ACCESS MAP]
- (Art space TANYA is located to the next space of Nanzuka Underground.)
- Planned and supported by: Hiroshi Morinaga, Shigeharu Yamakawa, BRUTUS TRIP
- Opening Reception: 2009.1.24 Sat 18:00-20:00
山川惣治×田名網敬一 [ 少年王者 ]
2009.1.24 Sat - 2.22 Sun
＠art space TANYA (produced by NANZUKA UNDERGROUND)
このたび、Nanzuka Undergroundは、山川惣治と田名網敬一による特別展「少年王者」を、アートスペースTANYAに於いて開催致します。本展は、２００８年に山川惣治の生誕１００周年を記念して、弥生美術館において開催された山川惣治展に寄せて、田名網敬一が山川惣治の原画を用いて制作したシルクスクリーン作品と、山川惣治のオリジナル原画からなります。
山川惣治は、1931年23歳の時に、街頭紙芝居の制作会社を立ち上げ、初のオリジナル紙芝居「少年王者」を発表。翌1932年には「少年タイガー」を発表し、爆発的な人気を博します。その後戦時中の不遇を経て、山川は、戦後の焦土と化した日本のストリートにおいて、再び「少年王者」を発表。これが、昭和２１年（1946）に単行本化されると、戦後初の大ベストセラーとなり、絵物語というジャンルを確立しました。昭和２６年には、全国紙に「少年ケニア」を連載。昭和２９年には、かの横山大観を抜き、画家としての長者番付トップに立つなど、戦後日本の大衆芸術史に偉大な足跡を残しています。
山川の作品に描かれた未知のジャングルにおける動物たちや魔人たちとの遭遇は、多くの少年少女を夢中にさせました。そして、その熱烈な信奉者の一人が田名網敬一少年だったのです。
田名網は、今回の作品の制作に寄せて、少年時代にその紙芝居を追いかけていた当時の記憶を回想し、山川作品との出会いを次のように語っています。
「巨大な太陽が地平線に沈んで行くその中で、『少年王者』の紙芝居が上演される。見てる子供は５０人ぐらい。僕はいつも一番前で見るためにずっと長い間待っていた。町は焦土となってしまったけれど、紙芝居の中に、すべての世界があると思うくらい夢中になった。・・・僕の原点は山川惣治であり、紙芝居と単行本の『少年王者』に出会っていなければこの世界に入らなかったかもしれない。・・・」（『BRUTUS TRIP』(2008JULY)掲載の談話より一部抜粋）
本展は、NANZUKA UNDERGROUNDにおける田名網敬一「KANNOOON」展と同時開催致します。あわせて、皆様にご覧頂けると幸いです。
- 山川惣治×田名網敬一 [ 少年王者 ]
- Date : 2009.1.24 Sat - 2.22 Sun
- ＠art space TANYA (produced byNANZUKA UNDERGROUND) [ACCESS MAP]
- （art space TANYAは、NANZUKA UNDERGROUND隣スペースにございます）
- 企画協力：森永博志、山川重治、BRUTUS TRIP
- オープニングレセプション: 2009.1.24 Sat 18:00-20:00
